Stand-pipe and sprinkler system.



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Y I IR I .F. sown/111,11. 1 I STAND PIPE AND SPRINKLER SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV- 17, 1908.

Witnesses W. F. CONRAN, JR.

STAND PIPE AND SPRINKLER SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV- 11. 1908.

1,156,978. Patented Oct. 19, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- Witnesses A ttbrn eys.

QFFICE.

WILLIAM F. CONRAN, JR., OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

STAND-PIPE AND SPRINKLER SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 19, 1915.

Application filed November 17, 1908. Serial No. 463,018.

To all whom it may concern:

' Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. GoNRAN,

Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing in Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Stand-Pipe and as described in Patent No. 816,152 granted to me on March 27, 1906.

The present invention relates to improvements wherein the stand-pipe system, as described in my patent above mentioned, is connected to a sprinkler system which may extend throughout the factory, warehouse or other building, so that water may be distributed over the entire area desired.

In carrying my invention into effect I employ a stand-pipe which may be capable of rotary movement so as to direct a heavy stream completely around the room or floor affected by the fire and at the same time the connection with the stationary sprinkler system will be kept up, so that many streams maybe played on all parts of the room while the revolving nozzle is playing its heavy stream around the premises. I arrange the connection between the stand-pipe and sprinkler system so that the water may be distributed through the sprinkler system without using the stand-pipe nozzle on the same floor, or the nozzle maybe used without the sprinkler, and likewise the sprinkler system or the nozzle or both on any or all floors may be used simultaneously or separately.

My invention may be used without the use of the revolving nozzles or with the nozzles on some floors and without-them on others. When no nozzles are employed the stand-pipe may be stationary.

My invention may be used with sprinklers of the fusible type, that is, those which open automatically when the temperature reaches a dangerous point, in which case the valves may be dispensed with or the sprinkler heads may be opened and controlled entirely by the valves. When the fusible sprinkler heads are used the stand-pipe may be connected with the usual elevated tank to keep the system full of water and the connection with the stand-pipe at its lower end may be made if the fire gets beyond the control of the water in the tank. In cases where the tank is used a valve may be employed to prevent the admission of water to the tank when the connection is made to the lower end of the stand-pipe.

I employ valves at each floor which are held normally closed by the water pressure when the connection is made with the standpipe and which valves are controlled from a common point, preferably hydraulically, whereby any desired valve may be opened so that the stream may be directed through any or all nozzles, or any or all sprinkler branches, or by both nozzles and sprinklers.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which 7 Figure 1 is a vertical elevation of an interior stand-pipe and sprinkler system; Fig. 2 is a similar view of a modified form of the same; Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of the stand-pipe and its connections; Fig. 1 is an elevation of the stand-pipe showing a method of securing the sprinkler branch valves against rotation; Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55 of Fig. 3; Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views of a sprinkler head, and Fig. 8 illustrates a modified system.

In'all views like parts are designated by the same reference character.

In the drawings 1 represents a building in which a stand-pipe 2 is located. The stand-pipe, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 8 is carried on a base 3 which is provided with antifriction bearings so as to allow the stand-pipe to be easily rotated through the medium of a bar 4 secured to the pipe near the ground floor 0f the building. The upper end of the stand-pipe is supported in a chamber 5 rigidly secured to the building and which is provided with a gland 5 to allow the pipe to be rotated and whereby leakage is prevented. On each floor the pipe 2 is provided with a casing 5 equipped with stuffing boxes and glands 6 at each end so as to allow the pipe 2 to be revolved within the casings without danger of leakage. That portion of the pipe 2 within the casing 5 is cut away as at 7 to allow the water in the pipe to escape into the casing irrespective of the position of the pipe. Carried by each casing 5 is a valve casing 8 to which a sprinkler branch 9 is connected. The valve casing 8 contains a piston 10 pro vided with a valve stem 11 which carries a valve 12 at its upper end. This valve conbranch.

trols the flow l/Vhen the water rises in the stand-pipe, the pressure .on the piston 10 overbalances the pressure on the valve 12 and the valve therefor is held on its seat. To open the valve, Water is admitted to the chamber behind the piston 10 vthrough a pipe 13 and the pressure on the piston is then equalized, whereupon the pressure on the valve will open the same and permit the flow of water to the sprinkler branch. The pipes 13 extend to an operating station which is located at some convenient point in the buildlng, preferably near the door through which the connection with the stand-pipe is made. At the operating station the control pipes 13 are each provided with a hand valve 14 and are connected to a pipe 15 which communicates with the top of the stand-pipe so the water may be admitted to the control pipes when the stand-pipe is full. Hand valves 14: are each provided with a discharge port which is open when valve 14 is closed so as to draw off the water from pipe 13 and relieve the pressure behind the piston 10 and permit closure of valve '12; By connecting pipe 15 to the stand-pipe at or near the top it serves also as an indicator showing that all outlets and. branches willbe served. The control-pipes 13 and the pipe 15 are shown as extending parallel and close to the stand-pipe 2, but this is merely for simplicity in illustration. In actual practice these pipes will be carried away from the stand-pipe along or within the-ceilings and walls to the operating station- The casings 5 are shown as rigidly secured to the building by means of braces 16 so as to hold the casings and sprinkler systems against movement when the stand-pipe is rotated. The stand-pipe 2 is provided with a casing 17 which carries a Siamese coupling 18 for the hose lines from fire engines which supply the water. Carried by the stand-pipe 2 at various points along its length are valve casings 19 in which are pistons 20 and valves 21 controlled by control pipes 22 and valves 23 as described in con nection with the valve casing 8. 'As the noz- 'zle-carrying casings 19 must rotate with the stand-pipe, the control pipes 22 are connected to the chamber 17 and rotate with of water to the sprinkler.

ation the stand-pipe will be stationary and the valve casings 5 carried directly thereby, in which case the control pipes will allow communication between the chamber 17 and the various valve casings.

In Fig. 8 I have shown a modification of the apparatus in which an emergency supply'of water is carried in a roof tank 25 and the pipe system is always full of water. Connection may be made at 18 with the lower end of the stand-pipe. The upper end of the stand-pipe is provided with a checkvalve 27 closing upward, so that water pumped into the stand-pipe through connections 18 will not enter the tank. The arrangement provides an automatic sprinkler system as distinguished from the sprinklersystem supplied from an outside service as in Fig. 1, and in such case the hydrauof the many forms of automatic and normally closed sprinkler heads are substituted.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes I have described the principle of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is merely illustrative and that the invention may be carried out in other ways.

What I claim is:

1. In a stand-pipe system for buildings, the combination of a movable stand-pipe, one or more nozzles for projecting a stream from said pipe, valves carried by said pipe for controlling the flow to said nozzles, means for controlling said valves from a common point, a sprinkler system and controlling valves connected to said stand-pipe at several points, means for controlling said valves from a common point, and connections between said stand-pipe and sprinkler system for permitting movement of the former' without aflecting the latter.

2. In a stand-pipe systemfor buildings, the combination of a movable stand-pipe, one or more nozzles for projecting a stream from said pipe, valves carried by said pipe for controlling the flow to said nozzles, means for controlling said valves from a common point, a sprinkler system and controlling valves connected to said stand-pipe at several points, means for controlling said valves from a common, point, means for preventing movement of the controlling valve casings, and connections between said standpipe and sprinkler system for permitting movement of the former without affecting the latter.

v 3. In a stand-pipe system for buildings, the combination of a rotary stand-pipe, one

or more nozzles for projecting a stream from said pipe, valves carried by said pipe for controlling the flow to said nozzles, a sprinkler system and controlling valves in each branch of the sprinkler system, a series of independent pipes leading to each controlling valve from a common point or operating station, a valve at the operating station for connecting each control pipe with the stand-pipe to control the flow of Water, for aifecting the opening or closure of said controlling valves, and connections between said stand-pipe and sprinkler system for permitting movement of the former Without affecting the latter.

4. In a stand-pipe system for buildings, the combination With a movable stand-pipe, a nozzle and a controlling valve carried by said pipe at several points, means for controlling said valves from a common point, of a sprinkler system and controlling valves connected to the pipe at several points, and a system of hydraulic control for the controlling valves of each branch of the sprinkler system, said control system being supplied with water through a connection made at or near the top of the standpipe.

5. In a stand-pipe system for buildings, the combination with a movable stand-pipe of a stationary sprinkler system and controlling valves connected to the standpipe at several points, and a system of hydraulic control for the controlling valves of each branch of the sprinkler system, said control system being supplied with water through a connection made at or near the top of the standpipe.

6. A. combined standpipe and sprinkler system for buildings, comprising a rotary standpipe having Water outlets at various elevations, a valve for each outlet, means for hydraulically controlling said valves from a distant point, sprinkler branches supplied from said standpipe, and connections between said branches and the standpipe permitting rotary motion of the latter Without affecting the former.

7. A combined stand-pipe and sprinkler system for buildings, comprising a rotary stand-pipe having Water outlets at various elevations, a valve for each outlet, means for hydraulically controlling said valves from a distant point, sprinkler branches connected with the standpipe by connections which permit rotary motion of the pipe, a valve for each sprinkler branch, and means for hydraulically controlling said last-named valves from a distant point.

8. A combined stand-pipe and sprinkler system for buildings, comprising a rotary stand-pipe having Water outlets at various elevations, a valve for each outlet, means for hydraulically controlling said valves from a common operating station, sprinkler branches connected-with the stand-pipe by connections which permit rotary motion of the pipe, a valve for each sprinkler branch, and means for hydraulically controlling said last-named valves from the aforesaid station.

This specification signed and witnessed this 11th day of November, 1908.

WM. F. CONRAN, JR.

Witnesses:

MARY CONRAN, JOHN J. CAsHMAN, Jr. 

